Just in Time
by Sleepyhollow101
Summary: When Asami is captured, Akihito decides that he will take it on himself to find his lover, come hell, high water, or irritating bodyguards.


**A/N: Hey, guys! This is my third fic. I've had it in my head for a while and may add more. It feels a bit rushed to me… what do you guys think? Please leave a review! Again, all credit goes to Yamane-sensei, who wrote the original stories and created these wonderful characters. Love goes out to all you Finder fans! 3**

There was so much pain, so much misery, and so much cold, but the cold was the least heinous of all these things, so that was what Asami chose to focus on. He gave all his attention to the way it bit through his skin and settled deep in his flesh. He didn't doubt that hypothermia wasn't far behind, and that was definitely something he didn't want to experience again. Would Kirishima get there before time ran out? He always had before, there was no reason to think he wouldn't again. And yet Asami couldn't be sure.

Of all the fucking things to greet him outside of Sion, an ambush was not one he expected. It was his own turf and that had made him careless. He cursed himself as the chains weighed heavily on his wrists, the frigid metal freezing to his skin. They'd chained his wrists and ankles to the floor, his body held effectively in a kneeling position. He supposed that he could maneuver himself into a laying position if the pain became too much, but he was resolved not to let that happen. He wouldn't let them have the satisfaction of his submission. He would kneel there until it killed him if he had to – they had a lot of strength to kill before he came to that.

Rationally, he knew that he had experienced worse than this, and as long as Kirishima reached him in a timely fashion he would be okay. There had been so much worse in his past: broken bones, cracked skulls, cuts that penetrated down to his bones. Compared to that, this beating was a walk in the park. But that didn't make it hurt any less, not in the moment.

He knew at the beginning that they'd struck with baseball bats, or something similar. They'd blindfolded him, of course, hoping that the fear and anticipation would help them break him, but he had kept his wits around him, his ears helping him detect the source and approximate force of each incoming hit. Until, that is, they'd hit the back of his skull. That had been more than a little disorienting, to say the least, and had made the hits harder to guess. They'd started using other materials, but he couldn't tell what they were, only that they all hurt equally and that there was no reprieve.

All the while, they questioned him.

Truth be told, he wasn't sure what it was they were looking for. All the questions centered around the trade routes he'd reopened in China after his uneasy truce with Feilong, but they lacked any sort of logic or cohesion. They were prying for something, but even they weren't sure what it was they wanted to hear, which meant that they were pretty clueless. Hell, Asami was pretty fucking clueless himself – he could think of nothing in those routes that would be of interest to low-level Yakuza like these scumbags. As a matter of course, he'd kept his mouth shut, preferring to let them exhaust themselves and show them that he wasn't so easily manipulated. He'd rather be tortured to death than tell them anything, although he sincerely hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Eventually, something had happened that drew the bastards out the door, leaving Asami with a short rest before they would renew their assault. He considered trying to work the blindfold off of his eyes, but the throbbing in his head was slowly working its way towards unbearable and he didn't want to imagine what the harsh light of the warehouse would do to his senses. It certainly wouldn't give him any sort of advantage, not in as much pain as he was. So he left it on, relying on his ears and hoping that Kirishima would hurry the fuck up and find him.

By now, they'd been gone for at least twenty minutes and not even the cold could keep Asami distracted. He wasn't stupid – he knew that he needed medical attention. He could feel the blood tricking from the back of his head. Fuck, maybe they had cracked his skull again. He could feel panic rising and his breathing becoming shallow as he tried to guess how much time he had before he lost consciousness. _Fuck. Calm down. Breathe. Slow, deep breaths, nice and easy,_ he reminded himself, hoping that it would be enough.

He didn't feel the cold anymore and the panic was kept barely at bay. In desperation, his thoughts turned to Akihito.

Akihito.

The boy's bright smile flashed into his mind for a moment and he felt his panic cool, his breathing return to normal. When had he been smiling like that? Oh, of course, just a few days before. Asami had managed to make it home from work early and had ordered the sushi that Akihito liked. Akihito had given him such a beautiful smile, his cheeks tinged pink with a little blush. He would never admit it, but he liked when Asami thought of him, treated him, pampered him… which only made Asami want to do it more. He thought of the way that Akihito had snuggled up to him on the couch that night, letting the crime lord wrap his arms around him and hold him close, which he only did when he was feeling particularly docile (which was a very, very rare occasion, indeed).

The more he thought about Akihito, the further away his panic seemed. Yes, he would be all right. He would make it out of this, and he'd find his way back into those arms, and he wouldn't let them go. Not for all the money, power, or fame in the world. He had to be strong for Akihito. He WOULD be strong for Akihito. Nothing could break him, nothing but the boy himself.

He didn't hear the door open, but he heard a voice calling to him as if from far away. _Ah, I really am losing consciousness,_ he thought. He knelt, unmoving, as two small hands were placed on either side of his face and the blindfold was ripped away. He forced his eyes open, feeling the sharp pain of light hitting his corneas as he came face to face with none other than his little lover.

Akihito's eyes were teary and he looked panicked, but he was there. Thank God, he was there. Asami breathed a sigh of relief, wondering if he was hallucinating but unable to really care. Akihito called after him again, but he let his eyes slip shut in response. He could sleep now, if he wanted.

He was back in his angel's arms.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

When Akihito heard that Asami had been kidnapped, he had decided to take charge, much to Kirishima's irritation.

It was, however, Kirishima's fault that Asami-sama had been taken in the first place. He'd been at home sick that day – he rarely took sick days, but when Asami-sama had heard his voice over the phone, he gave Kirishima the day off without a second thought. "Don't bother coming in, Kirishima, you'll get the whole office sick and then I'll have to shoot you," he'd said. Kirishima, truth be told, had been more than happy to comply. It wasn't often that he was this sick and he really did need the rest.

Unfortunately, that left the boss unprotected. Of all the other bodyguards he employed, none of them knew Asami-sama – his schedule, his enemies, his preferences, his needs – quite like Kirishima. With the main bodyguard out of commission, it was the perfect opportunity for his enemies to attack, and they had done precisely that. Kirishima cursed at how fast they'd acted – this was bad. No, it was worse than bad, it was really fucking awful.

He'd intended to move Akihito to a safe house for the time being, to keep him safe and out of the way. If the boy went and got himself into trouble, Asami-sama would have Kirishima's head on a plate – it didn't matter how long they'd been friends, Akihito was more important to the boss than anyone else, and Kirishima knew that. And it wasn't that the boy was bad, not really, he was just a nuisance, especially at times like this. He could be considered Asami-sama's only weakness, and with the boss kidnapped he was sure to be targeted as well.

When he'd attempted to drag Akihito to the safe house, the boy had refused adamantly. "I'm coming with you and bringing him back," he'd said, his tears held in check by a thick fury that brewed behind his hazel eyes. "If you leave me here, you'll leave me vulnerable and you know that. If I'm with you, you'll at least know I'm safe and will have Asami and I in the same spot. It will make your job easier, won't it?"

He hadn't had time to argue with the brat or chain him down in the room, and he knew the little fucker would somehow escape and follow him anyway, so he'd dragged him along with them, shoving a gun in his tiny hands. Asami had taught the boy himself how to shoot, so at least he wouldn't be completely defenseless. Kirishima knew he was taking a big risk, allowing Akihito to come with them, but he didn't have a choice. Besides, who knew, maybe the kid would end up being helpful for once.

Fortunately, Kirishima knew exactly who had taken the boss. Things had been pretty quiet lately and Asami-sama had only crossed one group recently – Kirishima had no doubt in his mind that it was those fuckers who had taken him. They were easy enough to locate as they always worked in the same part of town, taking their kills and victims to the warehouses on the east side of Tokyo. They could be there within half an hour with Suoh driving. He only hoped Asami wouldn't be in too terrible of shape by the time they got there. The Yakuza group had clearly underestimated them, reflected in the fact that they thought it was a good idea to kidnap Asami-sama in the first place, so they wouldn't be expecting them yet. Asami would be alive and he would recover… how long that recovery would take and how excruciating, however, depended on how fast they could act.

They sped across town, Kirishima instructing Akihito to stay by his side once they arrived. Nothing could happen to the boy on his watch, and, looking at the boy's solemn eyes as he thought about his lover, Kirishima realized that he didn't want it to.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

When Akihito heard about Asami's predicament, calm washed over his body and resolve set in his bones like cement. He would get his lover back. Because Asami was HIS and no one else's. Akihito didn't think he was the possessive type, never had been before, in fact, but that didn't change the facts. Asami was his alone. And he would have him back.

And Akihito would kill anyone who got in his way.

Fortunately, Kirishima had relented surprisingly quickly and allowed him along – Akihito really would have hated to kill Asami's favorite bodyguard, but considering how angry he was at the man for letting this happen in the first place, he wouldn't hesitate. Kirishima had begun to instruct him in the car, but Akihito hadn't wasted his time listening. He only had one mission on entering the building, and that would be to find Asami and bring him home alive.

He'd clutched the pistol as Asami's men approached the warehouse, following close behind Kirishima's hulking frame. The Yakuza group had been waiting for them, but they were clearly unprepared and alarmed, and Akihito planned to use that to his advantage.

Asami's men fanned out and began taking the Yakuza down. Akihito was supposed to stay behind Kirishima, he knew that, and he had planned to, at least until the coast was clear, but then he saw it.

Or, rather, felt it.

His head snapped to the right, his eyes focusing on one of the hallways that led to the back of the warehouse. He suddenly knew that that was where he'd find Asami. There was no real indication that Asami would be there. God knows it wasn't the most strategic position the Yakuza group could have chosen, leading Akihito to understand how much they lacked in professionalism. There was nothing that would lead him to believe that it was any different than one of the other hallways that branched off of the main section of the warehouse.

But Akihito knew.

He tore off running, much to Kirishima's surprise and immediate anger. "God DAMN it, Akihito!" He shouted, twisting to cover Akihito as he ran down the hallway. He didn't bother checking any of the rooms he passed – Asami wasn't in those. Instead, he ran and ran until he reached the end of the hallway, greeted by a lone gray door that had been left unlocked in their enemy's haste.

Akihito pushed it open and felt the blood in his veins freeze.

Asami was kneeling on the floor, shaking. The room was freezing and it was clear that Asami was in the early stages of hypothermia… or perhaps he was going into shock? Akihito couldn't quite tell, but judging by the bloodstains on the floor it could be either. He froze for that one moment, watching as Asami struggled to pull in deep breaths. Akihito could sense that he was on the edge of losing consciousness, and that was the only thing that pulled him out of his stupor.

Akihito scanned the room quickly, knowing to check his surroundings before he acted. A ring of keys hung innocently by the door and he grabbed them on impulse. He screamed out, "I FOUND HIM!" hoping that Kirishima was within hearing distance. Then he ran towards Asami, barely aware that he was screaming the older man's name.

Akihito lifted up his lover's head as gently as he could. Asami was bleeding badly and a blindfold had robbed him of his sight. He didn't respond to Akihito's screams and that sent a pang of fear into Akihito's heart. He pulled the blindfold off, horrified that the back was soaked in blood. So that was why he was unresponsive – he'd been dealt a heavy blow to the back of the head.

With the blindfold off, Asami's eyes slipped open and found Akihito's. He saw them brighten just a bit with recognition – the man wasn't completely gone yet.

"Asami? Asami, can you hear me?! Please, just answer me, god damn it!"

Akihito hadn't really realized how stiffly Asami was holding his body until those eyes clouded once more and slipped shut. His body suddenly went limp against Akihito's frame, as though he'd been waiting for his little lover to make his appearance. Akihito tried to wake him up, tried to force those golden eyes open but he knew that Asami's strength was gone and he wouldn't be able to wake again, not until his body had been attended to at the hospital.

On a hunch, Akihito reached around Asami's limp body and tried the keys on the chains binding his hands and feet – he was only mildly surprised when they worked. The crime lord was ice cold, his wrists blue from the cool kiss of the metal. For some reason, that was what filled Akihito with rage the most, at least in that one moment – whoever did this to his lover was going to pay and it was not going to be pretty.

Little did he know that they had already met their grisly ends at Kirishima's hand, who appeared in the room moments later.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

Kirishima had acted quickly upon seeing his boss dead to the world in Akihito's arms. He'd scooped up his boss into his arms and carried him to the ambulance waiting outside – he'd instructed Asami's private doctor to meet them at the warehouse as soon as he'd heard Asami had been taken. He was glad now for his foresight. His boss needed serious attention, although he had seen worse. The next few weeks weren't going to be pretty.

Akihito followed close behind and Kirishima had to restrain the urge to shake him until his eyes rolled into the back of his head. What the fuck had the kid been thinking? Still, he had found Asami-sama. He forced himself to calm down. _Asami can deal with that problem himself,_ he thought, secretly hoping Asami would be able to sooner rather than later.

With Asami loaded up in the ambulance, Kirishima turned back to grab Akihito and bring him to the car to follow to the hospital. Instead, Akihito jumped up into the back of the ambulance and sat himself next to Asami-sama, slipping his hand in the older man's.

He gave Kirishima a defiant glare and said, "I'm not leaving him. What you do about it is up to you."

They locked eyes for what must have only been a few seconds but felt like a few eternities, Akihito refusing to back down and Kirishima wondering what atrocities he had committed in a past life to be stuck with a brat like this. Finally he shook his head and gave a curt, "Do what you want," before heading back to his car and washing his hands of the matter.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

Akihito's hand didn't leave Asami's as the ambulance rushed them to the hospital. He tried not to watch as the EMTs attached the multiple tubes to his lover and discussed his condition. He tried not to listen as they said terrifying words like "concussion," "blood loss," and "ICU." Instead, he stared at his lover's face and thought about the last time he'd seen him smile.

When was it? Oh, that's right, how could he forget… just a few days ago, wasn't it? Akihito had been drinking a dark German beer to accompany his favorite sushi that Asami had brought home as a surprise. He'd crawled into Asami's arms and let the man caress him, allowing himself to indulge in a moment of intimacy as he so rarely did.

After a while of sitting in Asami's arms, he'd gathered up the courage to sneak a chaste kiss onto his older lover's lips. He'd been blushing wildly as he did it – it was hard to initiate anything with Asami because that meant putting his pride and fears and attitude aside. But he'd done it, and the man had actually smiled at him… not smirked, but smiled. And it had been absolutely worth it.

He thought of that now as they arrived at the hospital, the EMTs pulling Akihito behind and informing him that he wouldn't be able to see Asami-sama until after the man had been set up in the ICU and stabilized. He closed his eyes and kept that image of his lover in his mind, praying to whatever gods he could think of that it wouldn't be the last good memory they had together.

VFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVFVF

Asami wasn't sure exactly how long he'd been out, but he could guess based on the pain in his body. It couldn't have been more than a few hours because the pain was still fresh and screaming in his blood. It wasn't, however, unmanageable so long as he kept slow and steady breaths. He knew that he was going to be fine, although he didn't much feel like it at the moment.

His eyes slid open and he heard a small gasp from his side.

"A…Asami?"

Asami tipped his head to the side. It was painful and he winced – the blow to his head would definitely be the worst of it. But the pain vanished as soon as he saw the face of his little lover staring at him.

Akihito looked as though he was seeing the face of God himself when he looked at Asami. He didn't seem to quite believe his eyes, and yet he wanted to. He stared intently at Asami, waiting for the dream to shatter in front of his eyes.

Asami forced his mouth open as he said, "Yes, Akihito, I'm here."

As soon as Akihito heard those words, his face cracked into a smile as the tears flowed from his eyes. He tried and failed to take on an intimidating tone of voice as he said, "Don't you ever scare me like that again, you bastard!"

Asami couldn't stop from smiling back. He had been right.

His angel would always be there for him.


End file.
